ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

So here's my situation. My 2002 SC430 came with the upgraded 18" TRD chrome rims & RFT's for a ridiculous dollar amount (hindsight's always 20/20). For the last 4 years my car has been garaged and covered while I was overseas. I've started doing maintenance work in order to make it my daily use car, and noticed that one wheel (front passenger) is starting have chrome "bubbles" and cracks/flakes around the center cap. I know that this wasn't occurring before I left the US. I took it to my Toyota dealership, since the Lexus dealer is 2 hours away. They said that they believe it to be a manufacturer defect since none of the other wheels are doing it and since the location of the "bubbling" is around the center cap not road rash. So I called TRD directly, who told me to call Lexus and if Lexus chose not to repair then to call TRD again. A Lexus Case Manager called me today and told me they cannot help. First time I have been seriously disappointed with Lexus. So now I am calling TRD and waiting to hear what they have to say.

Worst case scenario, they won't do anything. Does anyone have any other ideas to help me fix this issue (short of new rims). For the time being I want to repair this rim b'c in the future i want to upgrade to 20" wheels. Possibly rechroming it? Any advice that would help me save some money and fix this eyesore would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

rogzballz

iTrader: (9)

Sand blast and powder coat silver

bacardi11

iTrader: (1)

if were me I would get the rim triple chromed. or a new set of rims.

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the reply, but then I'd have to change the other three undamaged wheels to match. Seems like it would be a waste of money to change them all b'c of one wheel, right? Rechrome seems like the best option after research, but does anyone have any experience, price estimate, or a company they can recommend?

mandyfig

Back here in Marietta, GA there is a rim place which will do anything and everything, including re-chrome. I am sure you can find a place close by, good luck. Post pics so we can see.

harleydjce

So let me get this straight, you have issues with an 11 year old wheel and you expect Lexus to come to the party and fix if? I'm assuming any extended Warranty has expired?

I'm sorry that you are having issues but I think your expectations are unrealistic!

bacardi11

iTrader: (1)

hi you live in Ok check yellow pages for rechroming there are places by you.

IcEnPinKi

iTrader: (1)

not even worth to re-chrome. get a new set and call it a day.

mandyfig

Then sell the good rims...plus the bad, worth something.

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

No offense, but on a car that's 11 years old and only 22,000 miles, garaged, and covered; I would expect TRD to do something to remedy the situation. Whether it be split the cost or a recommendation on rechroming. Especially if it is seen as manufacturer error, to which they clearly agree that the chrome was plated incorrectly. "Pursuit of Perfection," right?

EPA shut down all rechroming shops in the state of Oklahoma. Unfortunate. Now all wheels have to mailed or transported out of state, but I don't know any recommendable quality shops.

Yeah, that might be a good idea. Thanks.

FLYCT

Expecting manufacture remedy when wheels are 7 years out of warranty? That's a bit of a stretch.

JR

harleydjce

I also meant no offense either but that is where your expectations are unrealistic. The warranty covers the term the manufacturer is obligated to fix any defects. 11 years is way beyond any manufacturers obligations. While the mileage is low, the age of the vehicle is what counts. Items deteriorate over time whether they are in use or not.

While you may think it is a manufacturing defect, it may not be. The wheel could have been exposed to any substance while in use that could have caused failure of the chrome plating. That's hard to either prove or disprove. If it was a year outside warranty I would agree with you but 11 years is way outside any reasonable period they can be expected to wear the cost of any issues.

If you read the T & C of most warranties they warrant to repair or replace only during the warranty period. 11 years is a long time and well outside of the usual warranty period.

Lexus are pretty good IME . If you had approached any German vehicle manufacturer with the same claim they would have laughed you out the door! In this instance, I think Lexus approach is consistent with any vehicle manufacturer and is quite reasonable.

It sucks that this has happened but I can understand why they declined your claim. Best of luck with getting it sorted out.

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

Here's the worst of it. Nearly all the area around the center cap is bubbled and flaking. Sorry about the arrows, these were the photos I had to submit to Lexus/TRD. I'm just hugely disappointed and should have gotten the stock pie plates and bought a better set of aftermarket rims and tires instead of paying $4,500 for these and RFT's. Could you give me the info for your chrome place in GA? I called around and found some in CA and TX. CA shipping is redic. TX was way overpriced for a single wheel. Worth a phone call to your place, at least.

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

And the troubles continue... thought I'd update this thread. In regards to the rim with flaking chrome, I bought a gently used one from a member about a year ago- great conidition. Recently, as a few members might know, I purchased some winter RFT tires from another member on this forum. She shipped them to me in Chicago and after some mailing address errors, I was able to intercept the shipment before it started on it's path back to Florida. I got the tires in the midst of a huge polar vortex and wanted to install them right away. I took them to McGarth Lexus here in my area and after about 5 hours, they realized that they couldn't install them as the rubber was too old and stiff to be pliable to allow mounting onto my TRD chrome rims. The seller had informed me that the tires were new and purchased in 2008. Lexus informed me from the manufacture stamp date on the actual tire was from 2005 and that the general rule is not to install tires older than 6 years. Additionally, they couldn't physically mount them on the rim due to stiffness. So I was S.O.L., at the moment. I called a few places to get other options, short of buying a new set for $2k.

I found a place that recaps and retreads tires (Jason's Tire Shop in Melrose Park, IL- AVOID THEM!) They said they had a special machine that could mount the tires, so I took them in to see what they thought. They told me they could mount them, no problem. So another 2 hours and $145 and the tires were on my car. I checked the work and noticed that all FOUR of my rims were incredibly damaged. Chrome and metal was gouged around the lip in a circular fashion, obviously from the tire mounting machine. I complained and the manager said that 1) that it was from road rash. Then he change his story 2) that it was done before coming to that shop. Total bs. I tried to argue and they literally had to ask me to leave since they were closing. I drove home incredibly frustrated.

The next morning, I found that my front left tire was at 0 psi and my TPMS systems was going crazy. I went straight to Firestone since it was the closest and they dismounted the problematic tire and they diagnosed it as a ruined bead seal on the wheel and a cracked rim (at the point labelled Blunt Damage). They said that it would leak air very slowly and continuously. I was beyond angry. I went right back to Jason's Tire Shop on the next business day and talked to the manager. He said that he was not responsible and not willing to offer any compensation or repair. I have to fill up air nearly everyday and two companies, including Lexus have written me letters with their opinion that the damage was done by something mechanical and due to obvious operator error, and that Lexus verified that the rims had no such damage when they attempted to mount them. So I'm going to go to small claims court with the tire shop. Not a great start to 2014.

In the end, i decided to just purchase a new set of rims as my summer set, and keep the TRD rims on the winter tires. Hopefully, I will be compensated on some level for the damage to my chrome TRD rims (which I truly liked). Luckily, I still have an old TRD rim that was flaking chrome and the original reason for this post which will now replace the bad rim in the winter. I've attached some photos of the damage and the new rims (Roderick RW2 Staggered 20's). Thoughts, suggestions, opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

Here's the new set... Roderick RW2 Staggered 20". Sorry for the dirty car but it was just a test fit to make sure they were able to clear the fenders. I'm working on getting Lexus Center Caps too. I'll put these on around summertime once all this snow is gone. For now, just gotta stick it out with the damaged TRD Chrome rims on winter rubber.